Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing, factual biography of an American legend
Review: It is a rare delight to come across a gem such as this book. Iversen has passionately documented the true life story of an American legend with the support of Margaret Brown's family. She has included incredible facts that have never been shared with the public, as well as extremely rare photographs. Iversen discusses Margaret's involvement with the Titanic tragedy in a compelling and detailed manner. She also covers such topics as Margaret's involvement in women's rights and human rights in general.

This is a must read book for Margaret Brown and Titanic enthusiasts of all types!

Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL!
Review: It was refreshing to finally read a book that contains the FACTS of Margaret Brown. Kristen Iversen does a wonderful job in her research with the Brown family and the forward is written by Muffet Brown (Margaret's great grand daughter). This book is a true celebration of women. It covers so much of her life and the important role she played in womens sufferage. Margaret was truly a remarkable, kind, and generous woman, far beyond her time. Talk about a MODERN woman! She traveled ALONE around the world without her husband, something that was UNHEARD of in the early 20th century. I coulnd't put this book down! If you are interested in the Titanic, the history of remarkable women and Newport, New York and Denver society - read this book. Margaret was a well respected and well regarded woman who WAS Denver society. Forget any of the trash you have read about this woman being a foul mouthed, tacky, Denver soceity wannabe....this books contains only the facts of what Margeret was, is and why all the myths of her live on...... Truly a fascinating woman!

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Summary: This book is a powerful and evocative biography.
Review: Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth is a powerful and evocative biography that shatters the long-standing sensationalist stereotypes of the most famous Titanic survivor, Margaret Tobin. "Molly Brown" as she is more famously known, was often described as bawdy and indelicate in polite company. According to writer Caroline Bancroft, "Denver's most wealthy elite...found Margaret to be too Irish, too Catholic, too outspoken, and lacking the proper bloodlines" (Iversen 107). Gene Fowler and Caroline Bancroft created "Molly" into prescriptive literature: moral tales to convince women of their inherent femininity in order to confine them to specific social and cultural perimeters. Bancroft's pamphlet, The Unsinkable Mrs. Brown, has been a popular quick read for years. The little pamphlet is often found in tourist gift stores and museums throughout Colorado. Bancroft's easy-to-read and entertaining story also inspired the 1964 movie "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." The movie was quite popular and not only made Debbie Reynolds a household name, but also further erased anything true to what was left of Margaret Tobin's life. Everyone knows Molly Brown but who is Margaret Tobin? It is no wonder, then, that Margaret Tobin's fictional reputation has remained within the popular consciousness. Enter Professor Kristen Iversen whose scholarly work has now uncovered Margaret Tobin in all her factual glory. Iversen, who is not only a biographer but also a fiction writer, combines both of her strengths to achieve an intelligent, lucid and gripping biography. Iversen uses the tools and philosophies of the historian and biographer to achieve a full portrait of Tobin, a portrait no one has read about before. She carefully dismantles every legend, every myth with a wonderful mix of archival research and inviting prose: "The mood was strangely calm and otherworldly" writes Iversen. "Margaret looked out to the sea, a flotilla of jagged ice. She had heard that in the north Atlantic one could actually smell ice before seeing it. She smelled it now, pungent as a steelyard, a damp, venomous vapor" (29). Iversen's eight year research combines archival manuscripts at the Colorado Historical Society, the Western History Room at the Denver Public Library and the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver. In addition, Margaret Tobin's family has had great faith in Iversen, giving her access to private source material, much of which has never been uncovered before. Tobin's family chose well in placing their trust in Iversen. Indeed, this biography is not only a tribute to the real Margaret Tobin, but a return to recovering important women's voice from our past. This is a must read book!

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Summary: Family Members' Review
Review: Ok folks, let's get down to it. I've not left a review before because I thought it might sound as though I was being overly supportive with a bias. Well,I am overly supportive and I do have a bias. I am one of Margaret Browns great granddaughters.
I can't tell you how thrilled we were when Kristen got in touch with us and asked if we would speak with her. It was so exciting to know that someone was going to tell the truth about Margaret! I must tell you that the other material that was out there before Kristen wrote her book was astonishing. There was Timberline. Although it was entertaining, Mr. Fowler had my great grandmother
being raised on the milk of a nanny goat by a drunken Irishman named Shamus. This was due to the "fact" that Molly's mother had died from a broken heart when Molly was but six months old because she had birthed such an unnatural child!
We then have an incredible book by Carolyn Bancroft. She painted Margaret as a crude, brash, foul mouthed, illiterate, baffoon.
I must say however, in defense of Mrs. Bancroft, she grew up hearing simply terrible tales about my family. It is my understanding that her father and my great grandfather were bitter enimies ( family stories have J.J. Brown physically kicking Mr. Bancroft down his office steps...ouch!).
What I would like to tell you is this. From a member of the family, if you want to read a book that had the truth about Margaret Brown ... this is it! It also has some amazing pictures that had never been seen by the public prior to the release of this book. My favorite is Margaret and my grandmother atop camels just before Margaret left to sail on Titanic. Perfectly horrid hats but what a hoot!
I really hope that you enjoy this book. Margaret would have loved it!